


Settling in

by funnyhowthatis



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 12:25:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/funnyhowthatis/pseuds/funnyhowthatis
Summary: HG has just joined the warehouse, but feels out of place. Myka is there to reassure her.





	Settling in

**Author's Note:**

> I was feeling nostalgic and started rewatching Warehouse 13. I was digging around my old folders and found this little piece that I never posted. So, here is some funnyhowthatis circa 2012. Hope you enjoy! (and please be gentle to younger me!)

“There were some pretty harsh words back there.”

HG whipped around, turning to see Myka on the threshold.

“I’ve dealt with worse,” HG smiled, then gestured for Myka to come in. Myka obliged, shutting the door gently behind her. “So, now that everything seems to have been aired out at the dinner table, what do you think? Have you reconsidered?”

“No. I – they’ll see. You’ll gain their trust.”

“I certainly do hope so, or the future will certainly be very…tense.”

There were sounds of laughter coming from downstairs. Now that HG had excused herself from a very uncomfortable dinner and Myka had left the post-dinner banter of the household, everyone was finally letting their guards down. Laughing, joking – both had been lacking in the presence of the new addition and her defender. HG noticed the slight turn of Myka’s head to look at the door, the longing in her eyes.

“Myka, I – Myka, I never meant for you to be alienated. I can handle isolation quite well, actually – I’ve had practice, as you can imagine. Please, go down and make your amends. You’ve been too kind to me.”

Myka turned back and shook her head, not meeting HG’s eyes. She sat in the chair in the corner of the room and looked up at HG. Their eyes met for a moment, and as they held each other’s eyes, their hearts both fluttered. The moment passed and they looked away, their hearts settling in their chests.

“I’m fine, HG. Don’t worry about me.”

HG smiled, secretly glad for the company, and took the chair next to Myka. Without thinking, they both turned themselves to be curled in their chairs, facing each other.

“You picked a nice room.”

HG took in a deep breath, struggling to keep her mind together. Left alone for so long, her mind had been all she had. It had never stopped thinking, stopped analyzing. Her thoughts had never ceased. And yet here, under the gaze of a woman with wildly curly hair and large eyes, she could feel her control over her thoughts drifting away, her mind finally beginning to rest. She exhaled. “So, please, do tell me, what – besides post-its – has been invented since my bronzing.”

Myka laughed a little. “I’m guessing you’ve noticed planes?”

“Yes. They are quite loud, you know, when they fly overhead, and I was startled at first, but all together not surprised.”

“Oh, what, you would have invented planes?”

“It was on my to-do list. I just didn’t get to it.” HG kept her voice level, but the sparkle in her eyes pulled at the corners of Myka’s lips. “In all seriousness, the – the Wright brothers, was it? – the Wright brothers flew their first plane not long after I was bronzed. And I fully expected humankind to find a way to fly. Come on, tell me about something that I didn’t see coming.”

“Hmmm…have you seen a TV yet?”

“Yes, those seem nice. Do you by any chance have a spare one? I would love to pick it apart.”

“So you could be rest assured that you would have invented it, too?” They both laughed, completely forgetting the laughter downstairs. Their own was completely sufficient. “And no, TVs aren’t really something people usually have extras of.”

“Then I’ll just have to read up on their construction.”

“Oh! The internet! You must have seen it, used it, encountered it in some way, right?”

“In a way, although I would very much appreciate a tour of it. No one has explained to me what it actually _is_.”

“In that case, I know what we’re doing this weekend.”

HG smiled. In truth, she had grasped a basic understanding of what the internet was, but she longed for an excuse for human interaction. Not necessarily with Myka, she told herself, but she found herself remembering the proximity sitting at a computer with her had allowed.

In the content silence after their laughter, HG ventured a “Myka, I really do have to thank you.” She looked from a stocked bookshelf to the sky outside and then back to Myka’s eyes. “I really did miss all of this. Just, being alive. It feels good.”

Myka nodded slowly. “What was it like? Being bronzed, I mean.”

“Not the most enjoyable experience I’ve had. Gave me a lot of time to think, and…” she drifted off, unsure of whether to trust Myka, of whether she was ready to share the thoughts she had kept to herself for so long.

“And?” The gentle encouragement was enough.

“And I’m not sure I’ve come out of it unscathed. It’s very busy in my mind,” she laughed slightly, but quickly fell silent. Feeling the tears in her eyes, HG looked away, unable to face Myka’s concerned expression.

“It’s okay.” Myka reached out, without thinking, and took HG’s hand. She held it tightly, and HG, without looking back, squeezed Myka’s hand in her own, overcome by emotion she hadn’t realized she had. She wasn’t used to being weak, and she scolded herself for letting this other woman get to her like –

“It’s okay,” Myka whispered, leaning closer. HG looked back at Myka, a single tear falling down her cheek.

“I promise you, I’m usually not this emotional.”

“Yeah, and I’m not usually this comforting.”

“What will you think now? The great genius, the inventor, the person you fought to have back at the warehouse, is actually just a weak-”

“I could describe you in many ways, but none of them include the word weak.”

“It’s just I-”

“Myka?” a voice called in the hallway. Myka and HG froze in their chairs, their eyes caught in one another’s.

“Pete?” HG whispered.

Myka nodded, gave HG’s hand one last squeeze and pulled her hand away. HG wiped her eyes, putting herself back together.

“Myka?” Pete called again, louder this time. “This is not a good time for hide and seek, I have to talk to you about something.”

“I’m in here, in HG’s room,” Myka called back, not looking away from HG.

Pete burst into the room, and with one final hesitation, Myka looked away from HG and turned in her chair to face Pete.

“What? What is it?”

“I – can we talk?” He gestured that he wanted her to leave with him, eyeing HG uncomfortably.

“Is it important?”

“Yes, it’s important. Would I be bothering you if it wasn’t?”

“Fine, fine, I’m coming.” Pete led the way out of the room. Myka followed, but she lingered on the threshold, resting her hand on the doorframe. She looked over her shoulder. HG was still sitting in her chair, looking up at Myka. “Goodnight, Helena,” she said quietly, and then left, shutting the door behind her.

HG smiled to herself. It was worth it. To be thrust into a new confusing world, to receive the harsh comments from Artie. It was all worth it, just to be called Helena.

“Comic books?” she heard Myka’s shrill voice exclaim from the hall. “This is about comic books?”

“But they’re important!”

“Saving the world is important – comic books are, are inconsequential.” 

HG chuckled softly.  She would be all right.


End file.
